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17 Optional Coverages

Landscape Businesses Like Yours Often Buy

What's Included

Lawn care and landscaping contractors have special considerations when it comes to running a business. To protect your business, you will need insurance custom-tailored for landscaping professionals. Our FREE guide includes 17 optional coverages you should consider for your landscaping business.

Business Income Coverage

Business Income for Off-Premises Utility Services Coverage

Contractors Tool Coverage

Contractors Equipment Coverage

Herbicide/Pesticide Coverage

Rental Reimbursement – Contractors Equipment

Snowplow Operation Coverage

Computer and Media Coverage

Non-Owned Auto/Hired Auto Coverage

Commercial Umbrella Liability Policy

Employee Benefits Liability Coverage

Contractors Pollution Coverage

Data Breach Coverage

Waiver of Subrogation

Professional Liability/Errors and Omission’s

Employee Practices Liability – EPLI

Life Insurance

Commercial General Liability Coverage

Risk Factor

As a contractor, your business may be susceptible to many risks, such as claims due to bodily injury, property damage, personal injury and more. And, if you hire other contractors to perform work on your behalf, you can be held responsible for any damage they cause on the job.

Solution

Commercial general liability insurance is an absolute necessity for every contractor. This type of protection provides broad coverage for premises, operations, products and claims to third parties or property when you are deemed responsible and liable. It will also pay to defend any covered lawsuit or action regardless of its merit.

Commercial Property Coverage

Risk Factor

When a fire, theft or another type of disaster strikes, your commercial property and everything within it can suffer a significant loss. This can have a detrimental effect on your business.

Solution

Commercial property insurance can help protect the property your business owns and leases, including things like equipment, inventory, furniture and fixtures. Whether you own your building or lease your workspace, commercial property insurance can be purchased separately or can be combined with other necessary coverage to protect your business’ physical assets.

Contractors' Equipment Coverage

Risk Factor

You’re constantly moving your tools from one job site to another, exposing your contractor business to potential loss due to damage or theft. And without your specialized tools and equipment, your job site may come to a screeching halt.

Solution

As a contractor, you need contractors' equipment insurance - a policy specially designed to protect your tools and equipment on the move. The policy will cover equipment for a variety of losses, including fire, explosion, vandalism, theft, collision with other equipment or objects and overturning. Unlike standard commercial property insurance policies, contractors' equipment insurance often covers losses caused by floods and earthquakes.

Builders Risk and Installation Insurance

Risk Factor

A building under construction is not covered under a standard building insurance policy or a home insurance policy since it is not a complete structure. As a contractor, you may be responsible for unique loss exposures related to buildings under construction such as the theft of building materials and high valued equipment such as generators and compressors.

Solution

Builders risk and installation insurance provides coverage for homes or buildings while undergoing construction, until they are completed. The policy covers the contractors’ interest in materials at the job site before they are installed, construction materials in transit designated for the renovation, remodel or construction and the value of the property being constructed until it is completed.

Workers’ Compensation and Employers Liability Coverage

Risk Factor

If one of your employees receives an injury or becomes ill due to a work-related occurrence, you are required by law to have the proper coverage in place.

Solution

Workers’ compensation and employers liability insurance protects your employees should a job-related injury or sickness occur during the course of employment. Since benefits vary by state law, make sure your insurance agent is aware of all physical locations your business operates in and all physical locations where you hire your employees.

Business Auto Insurance

Risk Factor

As a contractor, you have many exposures associated with your business vehicles – owned or leased. With a fleet of cars, trucks, vans or other types of vehicles used in the course of business, a single accident can potentially put your contractor business in financial jeopardy.

Solution

Business auto insurance provides coverage for vehicles owned or leased by a contractor and provides coverage for bodily injury, property damage and other exposures, and could include comprehensive and collision coverage as well.

Hold Harmless / Additional Insureds

Risk Factor

If you are performing as a contractor on a construction project where other contractors and vendors are involved, you could be held liable for any damages or injuries caused by the other contractors or vendors, leaving you with costly legal fees and settlement costs. Your business needs to be protected against the risk of some other company, vendor or subcontractor causing damage to people or property of your mutual customer.

Solution

Consider having a contract in place with each entity that includes a hold harmless agreement in your favor. A hold harmless agreement provides that the entity will hold you harmless for any injuries or damage caused by their negligence. In addition, the contract should require that the entity list you as an additional insured on their policy. This may provide you with coverage under their policy for injuries or damage they cause if you are named in a lawsuit.

Commercial Umbrella / Excess Insurance

Risk Factor

Losses and lawsuits are quite common in the construction business, and settlements can be substantial. If your business is found to be responsible for damage or injury on the job site, you could be facing a large liability loss that exceeds the basic limits of your standard policy.

Solution

You should consider purchasing a commercial umbrella insurance policy which provides higher limits, typically between $2,000,000 and $10,000,000, and often broadened coverages. Coverage is extended over your general liability insurance, workers’ compensation, business auto and directors and officers liability insurance. It provides a great safety net and helps ensure your contractor business is well protected.

Get Your Free Guide

This exclusive guide allows you to identify potential gaps in insurance coverage for your landscaping business.

What Our Clients Say

“Saved over $1,100 a Year! We were able to qualified for a preferred insurance program resulting in $1,100 in annual savings. It is nice to know we have an insurance agent that is always looking out for our best interests.”

B. KeeneyCollegeville

“Meschter Insurance…We saved thousands! We were with another agency for over 10 years handling over 10 policies for both our business and personal. Here is what they did for us…Meschter saved us thousands for better coverage in every policy. I am so mad we waited for so long…I did the search on the internet blindly to get some pricing…what a nightmare 20 agents rounding the corners and went like fire after our lead…then a friend said…WHAT ABOUT MESCHTER!!! This is awesome just for faxing over some sheets BIG money comes back in our pocket!!!”

D. DornNorth Wales, PA

“Saved $450 – Better Coverage – Excellent Service! Every year my premium went up – this time $140. in just 6 months. Researched 9 companies – went through 1 bait and switch. Referred by a co-worker to try Meschter Insurance – got better coverage and excellent customer service and saved over $450.”

A. BrownholtzCo founder, Coffee Inc

About Meschter Insurance Group

We’re an independent insurance agency offering a comprehensive suite of insurance solutions to protect your business and your life from the unexpected.

We don’t just sell insurance. We work closely with clients to help them make important and informed decisions every day when it comes to protection and their future.

Meschter Insurance provides auto insurance, home insurance and business insurance to New Jersey, Delaware and all of Pennsylvania, Including Collegeville, Harleysville, King of Prussia, Blue Bell, Conshohocken, Norristown, Royersford, Limerick, Lansdale, and the Main Line.